The Washington critic., 1887-11-23
THE RAILROADS AGAIN.


position on the railroad question was
suggested, resulted in partial modih.
cation of its demands ln regard to tn.
location of the Union Depot.
Instead Of maintaining that II should
bephcCd upon Reservation Il, recon.
menda,lon was adopted that it be
located iu the immediate vicinity of
that reservation. This concession,
however, involved no saarillce of prln
ciple. The change was made simply
TO harmonize certain differences as to
the advisablity Of uslug Government
rrse'''..:...S for the purposes inii-
Gated.
A general spirit of good feeling
characterized the discussion, notwith
standing various sharp differences of
opinion among the members of the
Committee and between the Committee
and the Commissioners, and there
seems to be growing feeling that
satisfactory agreement will ultimately
be reached.
The three great questions to be set.
tied are How shall the b. and o. enter
the city? Where shall the Union Pas.
senger Depot be established BY what
route shall the railroads reach the
Long Bridge?
THE Critic is constrained TO believe
that the plan of the Commissioners
providing for entrance by tunnel under
Eleventh street east, is the better for
the citizens, especially in view of the
station 1t will afford the people of
East Washington at the East Capitol
street crossing, and quite as practicable
for the B. and o. Railroad. The tunnel
would prove expensive, 1t Is true, but
access to the Union Depot would be
materially shortened on that line and
the company has holdings of real
estate in the city more than sufficient
10 cover the cost.
Whether the location of the Union
Depot proposed by the Commissioners
Is the best that could be designated 1t
Is certainly much TO be preferred to the
Immediate vicinity" of Reservation
II, SO far as the convenience of mer.
chants, shippers and the general travel
ing public is concerned. The proposi
tion of the Citizens Committee Is
neither reasonable nor fair. II put to a
vote Of the people of the District 1t
would be defeated by at least three to
one.
Far preferable 10 this, all things
considered, would be the location
originally proposed near Four and.a.
half and X streets
Intimately connected with this ques.
uon, however, is that of reaching the
Long Bridge. If the route Is selected
by X street south and Water street, of
course there could be no Union Depot
at Maryland and Virginia avenues.
But the injustice or inexpediency
of occupying these avenues we
think is greatly exaggerated. While
there would be serious objections to
using them for surface tracks and TIE
CRITIC is in full sympathy with its
South Washington friends on this point,
we cannot see that such objections
should or could be raised to tracks on
the avenues, If depressed below the
roadway, and especially IT, as easily
might be done, they were arched or
covered so as to leave them entirely
out of sight. In this way all danger to
city travel would be obviated, the
noise of passing trains so deadened as
TO be no longer nuisance, the sym
metrical level of the avenues unim.
paired and the values Of adjacent prop.
erty undisturbed.
Of course, somebody has got to be
more or less inconvenienced, let the
roads come in or go out where they may
some interests have to be sacrificed for
the general good, whether on Maryland
and Virginia avenues or on X and
Water streets. The question is how
best to subserve the greatest welfare of
the greatest number Of people.
We are aware that the action OF the
Commissioners in this matter has been
taken independently Of the views of the
Citizens Committee. So Is the action
of the Committee independent of the
views of the Commissioners and theil
counsel But It isn't worth while tC
quarrel over this point. If existing
antagonisms are persisted In, evidently
the situation will remain indefinitely
unchanged and the railroads continue
10 run as at present.
Only by reasonable terms of conces
sion, such as will bring the conflicting
bodies together, can they present
united front to Congress. 1t may bC
that Congress will ultimately take thr
business into It's own hands and &C
upon It's own motion, irrespective o
outside recommendations from an.
source.
THE reception of DR.. Joseph Parke
of London In this country seems not t.
have been In the nature of an ovation